Inishdoorus

Inis Dubhruis

Tomas O Flatharta

Inishdoorus, Inis Dubhruis, meaning island of the black promontory

Names:

According to O’ Donovan’s Field Name Books, 1838, the standard name given to the town land was Inishdoorus and Inis Dubhruis was its official Irish form. The townland was also spelt as Innish Doorish (Local) and Inishdoorish (Inquis Temp. Gul. 3). According to Coimisiúin na Logainmneacha (logainm.ie), Inishdoorus contained another smaller townland which is called Roeillaundoo (Rua-oileán Dubh). Inishdoorus also had another island called Roeillaunbuan (An tOilean Bán). Inishdoorus had 3 rocks; these rocks were Joyce’s Rock (Carraig an tSeoighigh), Duck Rock (Carraig Lachan) and Cow Rock (Carraig na gCoileach).

Situation:

This townland is located in the townland of Cloonbrone in the parish of Cong, in the barony of Ross and in county of Galway.

Description:

Down Survey:

‘‘The Down Survey was a cadastral survey of Ireland carried out by William Petty, English scientist in 1655 and 1656.The survey was apparently called the “Down Survey” by Petty because the results were set down in maps; ‘admeasurement down’ was used; it is referred to by that name in Petty’s will”. (Wikipedia).The Down survey revealed that in 1641 and 1670 the landowner of Inishdoorus was the Earl of Clanrickard who was Protestant. Inishdoorus had 61 plantation acres of profitable land and 61 acres of forfeited land.

O’ Donovans Field Name Books (1838):

The townland of Inishdoorus is composed of 142 acres, 1 roods and 2 perches according to O Donovan’s Field name Books (1838).

Griffith’s Valuation (1855):

According to Griffith’s Valuation, Inishdoorus had a total acreage of 142 acres, 1 rood and 38 perches. The total annual valuation for the lands in Inishdoorus was £40.15s.0d. Lord Kilmaine was the immediate lessor for the lands in Inishdoorus. Inishdoorus had two plots of land.

Plot 1 was composed of 93 acres, 0 roods and 36 perches.

Martin Burke had a house, office and land. The land was valued at £26.0s.0d. and the house at £0.15s.0d. The total valuation of rateable property was £26.15s.0d.

Plot 2 was composed of 49 acres, 1 rood and 2 perches.

Michael Burke had a house and land. The land was valued at £13.15s.0d. and the house at £0.5s.0d. The total valuation of rateable property was £14.0s.0d.

Census 1901

The Census of 1901 indicated there were 3 houses and they were all inhabited. Everyone in this census was Roman Catholic and born in Galway according to the Form N- Enumerators Abstract. Of the 16 residents there were 3 families. There were 8 males and 8 females. Form B- Return of Out-Offices and Farm Steadings indicates there were 3 stables, 3 cow houses, 2 calf houses, 3 piggeries, 2 fowl houses and 2 barns.

House 1- Patrick and Catherine Burke

Patrick (56) and Catherine (52) Burke lived in house numbered 1 with their five children. Their children were Bridget (30), James (21), Patrick (17), Helena (13) and Myles P. (10). Patrick was a farmer. Everyone in this household could read and write and spoke English and Irish. They lived in a 2nd class house with 4 rooms. They had a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.

House 2- Mary Burke

Mary Burke (64) lived in house 2 with her two children, her two grand children and her daughter-in-law, Bridget Burke (36). Her two children were Michael (42) and Kate (29). Her grandchildren were Mary (4) and Patrick (9 months). Mary (Snr.) was a farmer and Mary was a scholar. Bridget and Kate could read and write. Michael and Mary (Jnr.) could read only. Mary (Snr.) could not read or write. Everyone in this house, except Mary (Jnr.) and Patrick who were too young to talk, spoke English and Irish. They lived in a 2nd class house with 4 rooms. They had a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.

House 3- John Joyce

John Joyce (60) lived in house 3 with his two children. His two children were Michael (25) and Julia (28). John was a farmer. John could read only and his children could read and write. Everyone in this household spoke Irish and English. They had a 2nd class house with 3 rooms. They had a stable, a cow house and a piggery.

Census 1911

Ten years later the census questions were expanded to include the following: Particulars as to Marriage (which included – completed years the present marriage has lasted, children born alive to present marriage, total children born alive to this marriage, and children still living); if Deaf and Dumb, Dumb only, Blind, Imbecile or Idiot, Lunatic. There are also inconsistent age gaps between 1901 to 1911 Census. In 1901 everyone in this village was Roman Catholic, in 1911 some families listed themselves as Catholics and other families listed themselves as Roman Catholics. There was one visiting family, the Moran’s, that were all born in Mayo. The house numbering on the 1911 census for Inishdoorus was either incorrect, one house was listed as house number 4 but only 3 houses in village, or not numbered at all. Therefore I will number the houses on the order they appear on the national archives website for Inishdoorus found on http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Cong/Inishdoorus__Island_/.

House 1-Michael and Bridget Burke

Michael (52) and Bridget (49) Burke lived in house numbered 1 (was numbered 2 in 1901) with their five children. Their children were Mary (13), Patrick (11), Kathleen (9), John (8) and Michael (5). There was no mention of Mary (Snr.) or Kate Burke in the 1911 census. Michael (Snr.) and Bridget had been married for 15 years had five children and five of them had survived until 1911. Michael (Snr.) was a farmer and all his children were scholars. Michael (Snr.) could read only and everyone else, except Michael (Jnr.) who was too young to read, could read and write. Michael (Snr.), Bridget, Mary and Patrick spoke Irish and English. Kathleen, John and Michael spoke English only. Everyone in this household was Catholic. They still lived in a 2nd class house with 4 rooms. By 1911 they still had a stable, a cow house, a piggery and a barn but no longer had a calf house or fowl house.

House 2-Catherine Burke

Catherine Burke (69) lived in house 2 (previously numbered house 1) with her two children and her servant. They had three visitors’ they had the night of the census. Her two children were Patrick (26) and Helena (22). Her servant was John O Brien (15) and the three visitors’ were James Joseph Moran (1), Bridget Mary Moran (3) and Michael Moran (5). There was no mention of Patrick (Snr.), Bridget, James or Myles P. in this census. Catherine was a widow and filled in some details about her previous marriage. She was married for 44 years and had 10 children but she did not state how many children were still living in 1911. Catherine was a farmer and John was a servant. Everyone in this household, except the Moran children as they were too young to read, could read and write. Catherine, Patrick, Helena and John spoke Irish and English while Bridget Mary and Michael spoke English only. James Joseph was too young to talk. The Burkes and John O Brien were Catholic while the Moran family were Roman Catholics and from Mayo. They still lived in a 2nd class house with 4 rooms. They still had a stable, a cow house, a piggery and a barn but no longer had a fowl house or calf house.

House 3-Michael Joyce

Michael Joyce (35) was the sole occupant of house numbered 3 (same numbered house as 1901). There is no mention of Michael or Julia in this 1911 census. Michael was an unmarried farmer. He could read and write and spoke Irish and English. He was a Roman Catholic. He lived in a 3rd class house with 2 rooms in 1911; in 1901 he lived in a 2nd class house with 3 rooms. He still had a cow house and a piggery but no longer had a stable.          

 

 

 

 

 

 

This page was added on 24/11/2016.

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